Jan
21
Written by:
Andy Hogue
1/21/2010 12:58 PM
The Texas Capitol is in lockdown mode after shots were fired about half an hour ago, several sources are reporting, including the Austin American-Statesman.
From Sen. Dan Patrick's (R-Houston) Twitter feed, from shortly before 1 p.m.:
"An individual came into my Austin Senate office today acting strangely,staff called security, moments later shots fired on Capitol steps"
"Capitol in lock down, no identity on stranger at this point, I was not in the office, no report of anyone injured DPS arrested suspect"
UPDATES:
1:05 p.m.: The Statesman is reporting that DPS troopers arrested a man named Fausto Cardenas [24, of the Houston area], as the immediate suspect. Witnesses reported hearing anywhere from three to six shots, according to other sources. About 60 state employees are outside, while those in offices were told to lock their doors. The Associated Press reported 12 DPS vehicles arrived on scene, with some troopers carrying rifles.
1:25 p.m.: The Austin Chronicle reports the shots were fired around 12:15 p.m. The suspect was arrested without incident on the south side steps, most sources are reporting.
3:30 p.m.: The suspect offered some resistance, the Statesman is reporting in a more detailed story, accompanied by videos and photos of the incident. Capitol security addressed. Speaker Joe Straus (R-San Antonio) and Sen. Leticia Van de Putte (D-San Antonio) were among those stuck in their offices during the lockdown.
"The Capitol is now locked down and we expect it will be locked down for the remainder of the day, as DPS troopers and crime scene investigator process the building and make sure there's nothing else in side that we should know about," said DPS spokesperson Tela Mange in a press conference.